Hardik Pandya finished the T20I series against Bangladesh on high with a blistering 47-run knock as India registered a record-breaking win in the final T20I in Hyderabad. Hardik had a tough start to the year, missing international cricket due to fitness concerns. He then made a comeback in the IPL, but things didn't go in his favour after his return to the Mumbai Indians. He replaced Rohit Sharma as their new captain, which didn't go down well with their fans as the star all-rounder was booed at almost every venue, including Wankhede Stadium.
The 31-year-old redeemed himself in the 2024 T20 World Cup and played a massive role in India's title triumph. After Rohit's retirement from the shortest format post-T20 WC, Hardik was one of the frontrunners to take over the captaincy charge, but the new coaching staff under Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar backed Suryakumar Yadav for the role.
However, the big decision didn't affect Hardik's form as his redemption arc continued in international cricket. In the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, Hardik slammed 118 runs in three matches at a stunning strike rate of 222.64.
Veteran Australian spinner Brad Hogg was impressed to witness Hardik's camaraderie with new skipper Suryakumar and said he is showing his true class with some blistering knocks after missing out on captaincy.
"I love the way he's (Hardik) accepted Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of this Indian team, but it's also helped his game as well. He's really starting to expand with the bat as well, showed his true form. He struggled a little bit through the last IPL, and we all know why, because there was a lot of pressure on him moving from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, but he's just shown his true class here," Hogg said on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}"I love the way he's (Hardik) accepted Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of this Indian team, but it's also helped his game as well. He's really starting to expand with the bat as well, showed his true form. He struggled a little bit through the last IPL, and we all know why, because there was a lot of pressure on him moving from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, but he's just shown his true class here," Hogg said on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}Hardik Pandya adds depth to your batting
Hogg further pointed out the liberty of having a player like Hardik in the squad who adds depth to both batting and bowling.
"If you're going to be a dominant team in T20Is, you got to have your medium-pace all-rounders, and that's what Hardik brings. Even though he is a little bit more expensive than your conventional bowler, he still adds depth to your batting," he concluded.